LGBTQ+ Centred emotionally focused Couple therapy core skills
This is an official Core Skills® endorsed by the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)
Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT) Core Skills Training presents a set of four, two-day workshops and is designed to follow the EFCT Externship. Core Skills offers an in-depth opportunity to develop the skills essential to the practice of EFCT. Each segment includes instruction, role play, observation of video, and consultation.
In this training, we will be discussing, showing, demonstrating, and generally exploring EFCT with a focus on LGBTQ+ relationships.
About the Training
Module 1: September 15/16, 2025 - Tango in Stage 1: Steps 1-2 Assessment
Module 2: November 3/4, 2025 - Tango in Stage 1: Steps 3-4 De-Escalation
Module 3: January 26/27, 2026 - Tango in Stage 2: Steps 5-7 Withdrawer Re-Engagement
Module 4: March 9/10, 2026 - Tango in Stage 2: Steps 5-7 Pursuer Softening, Stage 3: Steps 8-9
Timing each day: 7:00am - 2:15pm MST (the time in Colorado/Alberta), 2pm-9:15pm London time
Location: Online
Prerequisite: EFCT 28-hour or 24-hour Externship
Registration: Start with payment, then we will send you a Google form to complete the registration.
Two options for payment:
Pay now in full — £1650
Pay in two installments, second installment due December 15, 2025 — each installment will be £875, please email me to be invoiced
We have up to 4 Widening Participation places on this course which give 25-50% reduction of the fee. See further down for more details.
THE TRAINERS
Sandra Taylor
Sandra Taylor, PhD, is an ICEEFT Trainer, Supervisor and Therapist based in Lancashire, England. She works in private practice and is a Co-Director of the British EFT Centre. Sandra trains in Britain face to face, and online internationally - including supporting PSEFT, Poland. Along with Robert Allan, Sandra runs LGBTQ+ Centred Externships, Core Skills and continuing professional development workshops internationally.
Some of Sandra’s identities are that she is a lesbian/queer cis-gender female, white, disabled and Catholic. She co-edited with her partner ‘And GOD saw it all was very good: Catholic LGBT People in Europe Telling Their Stories’ (Esuberanza, 2015).
Sandra is an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She previously worked as Director of Relationship Counselling in a national charity, and was a Senior Lecturer providing counsellor trainer at the University of Cumbria after more than 10 years as an Occupational Therapist in a range of mental health settings including a mental health unit for deaf people.
Sandra is a warm, engaging and knowledgeable trainer who is passionate about enabling therapists to learn EFT in its simplicity and subtle complexity, with its general principles and its adjustments to affirm clients in their intersectional identities.
Robert Allan
Robert Allan, PhD, is an EFT Trainer, Supervisor, and Therapist, Canadian based in London, UK. He is a Senior Lecturer and program lead for the child, adolescent, and family MA program at University of Roehampton in London. Robert has helped train and supervise therapists and students in Emotionally Focused Therapy across Canada, the US, and Europe.
Among other identities, Robert is a gay, cis-gender male, and worked for 20 years in community based HIV, queer, and harm reduction work from the mid-1980s.
Robert’s interest in EFT extends to his research work where he has explored cultural adaptations of EFT. He is currently the co-Principal Investigator and supervised the Denver site for the first clinical trial of Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT). He is also part of a research project exploring the impact of minority stress on students, faculty, and staff across five university campuses.
Robert completed his PhD at Dalhousie University, he is a Licensed MFT in Colorado, and an Approved Supervisor with the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. He is also a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist and UKCP Full Clinical Member. Robert is a warm, knowledgeable, and engaged trainer with a passion for helping people learn EFT.
WIDENING PARTICIPATION
I, and the trainers we work with, actively support widening participation in EFT training and EFT therapy to those in groups that are marginalised and with limited resources.
We offer a few reduced fee spots for people who meet the following criteria:
You belong to one or more groups underrepresented in EFT therapy training, for example - counselors/MFTs/psychologists who are: Black, Asian, Latine, mixed race, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, disabled;
and
where a substantial part of your work is with minoritized and/or disadvantaged groups in society and you intend to continue with this work for a minimum of 2 more years;
and
where having a 25% or 50% reduction of the standard course fee (£1650) makes the difference between you being able to come on the course or not.
To apply for a reduced fee place, please provide:
a brief essay (approximately 750 words) explaining:
- how you are eligible for the fee reduction and what difference having a fee reduction will make to your ability to attend;
- there is a clear financial need and not simply a group practice wanting to access the course for less
- why you want to attend the course;
- anything else you think would be helpfulany supporting evidence e.g. a reference from your supervisor/employer/other confirming your eligibility and supporting your application; information about your work with minority or disadvantaged groups.
If you are unsure if you are eligible, you can get in contact and check it out.
We are accepting WP applicaitons until August 1 and aim to make decisions by August 8. The Training team will review the applications and their decision will be final.
To ask about a fee reduction / to send in your application, please contact Robert.
